CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE MUSIC
Nayon, Damdamin (Romance) and Pizzicato
 According to National Artist Ramon Santos,
PhD , contemporary music in the Philippines
refers to compositions that have adopted ideas
and elements from 20th century music in the
west as well as the latest trends and musical
styles in the entertainment industry.
 The modern Filipino repertoire consists of
musical pieces that have been written in the
20th century idioms that have evolved out of
such stylistic movements: impressionism,
expressionism, neo-classicism, avant garde and
new music.
 New music- compositions which are
improvisational works
- Dr. Ramon Santos - Radyasyon and
Quadrasyon
- Josefino “Chino” Toledo - Samu-Sari,
Pintigan and Terminal Lamentations
- Jonathan Baes - Wala and Banwa
20th CENTURY TRADITIONAL COMPOSERS
 Francisco B. Buencamino Sr. (1883 – 1952)
- born on November 5, 1883 in Bulacan
- son of musically inclined couple
- Fortunato Buencamino (father) – church
organist and band master
- Luisa Beltran – noted singer
- studied music composition and harmony in
Liceo de Manila (he was not able to finish)
- taught at Ateneo de Manila and at Centro
Escolar de Senoritas whose Conservatory
of Music he founded
- created the Buencamino Music Academy in
1930 (Nicanor Abelardo – one of his
students)
- ventured into musical directing and scoring
- composing film music for : Sampaguita
Pictures, LVN, and Excelsior
- Compositions : Harana, Pandanggo ni
Neneng, Collar de Sampaguita, Dulces las
Horas, Mayon (Fantasia de Concierto), My
Soul’s Lament, Larawan, Mazurka,
Boholana, Mi Bandera, Princesa ng
Kumintang, Maligayang Bati, Ang Bukang
Liwayway, Ang Bagong Balitaw, Himig ng
Caprice
- Piano works – have become staple part of
the Philippine repertoire of today’s young
students especially Mayon, Larawan, and
Maligayang Bati
- passed away on October 16, 1952 after
which a posthumous award honored him
with the title “Outstanding Composer”
 Francisco Santiago (1889 – 1947)
- “Father of Kundiman”
- belongs to the “Triumvirate of Filipino
Composers”
- he finished his music specialization at the
American Conservatory of Music in Chicago,
where he obtained his Doctorate Degree in
1924
- Music style : Romantic incorporating
Western forms and techniques with folk
materials
- Works : kundiman, symphonies, piano
concertos and other music pieces for piano,
violin and voice
- Famous Works : Pakiusap, Madaling Araw,
Sakali Man, Hibik ng Pilipinas, Ano Kaya ang
Kapalaran and Kundiman (Anak Dalita)
- this piece sung before the Royal Court of
Spain upon the request of King Alfonso II
- musical director for films (Kundiman, Leron-
Leron Sinta, Madaling Araw, Manilena and
the movie inspired by his composition
Pakiusap
- “first Filipino Director of the UP
Conservatory of Music”
 Nicanor Abelardo (1893 – 1934)
- one of the “Triumvirate of Filipino
Composers” which include Antonio Molina
and Francisco Santiago
- studied music at the Chicago Music College
- influenced by the music styles of
Schoenberg, Hindemith and Stravinsky
 - Style : European Romanticism with
Chromaticism
- Compositions : contain hazy tones,
dissonance and unusual chordal
combinations found in such work as
Cinderella Overture, Panoramas and violin
sonata
- considered as a composer in Romantic Style
- Best-Known Compositions : Mutya ng
Pasig, Nasaan Ka Irog, Cavatina for
Violoncello, and Magbalik Ka Hirang
 Antonio J. Molina (1894 – 1980)
- first National artist in Music
- one of the “Triumvirate of Filipino
Composers”
- began his musical career as orchestral
soloist at the Manila Grand Opera House
- Dean of the Centro Escolar University of
Music from 1948 to 1970
- faculty member of the University of the
Philippines Conservatory (now College) of
Music
- product of both Romantic and Impressionist
schools of thought
- fascinated by dynamics and harmonies of
Debussy but retained much of the Romantic
Style in his melody
- Malikmata (Transfiguration) – mysterious
exotic chords lead to lyrical melody with the
traditional harmonies abruptly returning to
the initial mood
- wrote several works for piano, violin, voice
as well as Spanish Style Opera called
Zarzuela
- best known for his poignantly romantic
serenade for violin and piano Hatinggabi
- subsequent transcriptions of this piece
were written from : cello, flute, piano and
guitar
- Orchestral Music – Misa Antoniana Grand
Festival Mass, Ang Batingaw, Kundiman-
Kundangan
- Chamber Music – String Quartet, Kung sa
Iyong Gunita, Pandangguhan
- Vocal Music – Amihan, Awit ni Maria Clara
and Larawan Nitong Pilipinas
- received National Artist for Music award in
1973
- passed away on January 29, 1980
 Hilarion Rubio Y Francisco (1902 – 1985)
- born on October 21, 1902 in Bacoor, Cavite
- composer, music teacher, conductor and
clarinetist
- created substantial works for the orchestra
- conductor for opera, ballet, dance recitals
and movie music
- his early interest in music came from his
uncle who was then playing with the Bacoor
Band
- his first music lessons in music theory and
clarinet were with Fr. Amando Buencamino
who taught him solfeggio and some musical
instruments
- 8 year old – accepted as member of Bacoor
Bandas clarinetist
- First Composition : Unang Katas
- Highschool Years at the North High School
(now Arellano High School) : member of
several orchestras
- performed with various movie house bands
and orchestras
- member of the Lyric Theatre Orchestra,
Trozo Band in Benavides Street and Band
Moderna in Tondo
- after he graduated in high school in 1930,
he co-founded the Anak Zapote Band
- later became bandleader and conductor of
ROTC band of Conservatory of Music,
University of the Philippines (UP) and
played the violin and timpani with the UP
Junior Symphony Orchestra
- became conductor of opera at the Manila
Music school in 1936
- became choir master and choral conductor
of the Choir islanders
- appointed director of the Conservatory of
Music, Centro Escolar University in 1944-
1945
- 2nd World War : composed and arranged
many works and conducted military and
civilian brass bands